Subject: Police Encounters
Date: Jan 9 09:44:54 2004
From: SandBMaule at aol.com - SandBMaule at aol.com


I have had the good fortune to bird in many parts of the world, thanks to my
career abroad. I have noted one very important defensive procedure -- if you
are out in the field with binoculars, make certain you are also carrying a
field guide. Especially in countries where you are not fluent in the language,
showing the field guide may be the only way to communicate what in the world you
are up to peering so intently into the bushes! Sometimes the cops even get a
bit interested in looking at pictures of birds they know and can suggest
birding hot spots.

It also helps to understand a little about local culture and prejudices. My
wife and I were once stopped on a remote road in Spain. My wife tried to
explain our motives in her excellent Spanish - mine was nearly nonexistent. The
police officers, however, would not listen to a mere woman. Things were a bit
tense until the officer and I discovered we both had a very limited knowledge of
German, facilitating an explanation of what we were up to. Then the officers
were most courteous and helpful, but still ignored my wife! Ah! Spain!

Bill
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20040109/96e24ad7/attachment.htm